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Beginhill-class Space Training Vessel (STV)

Names and Disposition:

(NNS = Newport News Shipyard)

Ships' Complement:

• Ships' Crew (3500 men)
• Space Naval air group (620 men)
• Space Marine unit (18200 men)
• Military trainees (60,000 men)
• Civilians (3,500 men)
• Life support limits are for a full combat complement and about 768,000 supernumeraries (800,000 men total).

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number of personnel varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Dimensions:

• Length: 7500 meters without Nile-class Carrier
              9000 meters with Nile-class Carrier
• Height: 5400 meters overall
• Width: 4000 meters overall
• Fuel Mass: 2,523,000,000 metric tons
• Operational mass (typical): 24,500,000,000 metric tons without Nile-class Carrier
                                           24,512,500,000 metric tons with Nile-class Carrier

Propulsion Systems:

• Main power system: RRD Mk 9 anti-matter-fueled Reflex furnace. The powerplant can deliver up to 20 Exawatts of power, and can operate for ten hours minutes at maximum power before overheat initiates autoshutdown.
• Maneuvering thrusters (24): Overtechnology MRT-05 fusion-plasma reaction thruster clusters with steerable nozzles mounted across the hull of the ship.
• Reaction-mass thrusters (24): Rolls Royce MRE-12 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted in the four engine blocks of the ship six per block.
• Secondary thrusters (40): Pratt&Whitney ARE-7 fusion-plasma reaction thrusters with anti-matter energizer mounted on top and below the main engines in four blocks, ten per block.
• Anti-gravity system: 540 Europa Drive Minotuar anti-gravity pods.
• Sublight drive (30): Shizuma Drive GDD-9 local, monopolar-induced gravitic space-time distortion drive.
• Space fold (1):  RRD Mk19z spacefold. This system is conformal to the vessels surface. The problem with the vast majority of the previous generation of fold systems was that the fold bubble weakened the state of the structure to the extent that they needed a refit after only five years of service. As such the RDF mandated the use of conformal systems similar to the old Zentraedi systems which also allows for much higher speeds.  The Mk19z was created by placing fifty Mk19 drives in together.
• Planetary capabilities: The Beginhill-class has atmospheric capabilities through its reaction thrusters and anti-gravity system. However, the ship cannot land on solid ground due to the design of the hull without serious damage. A water landing is possible however.

Endurance and Mobility Limits:

• The dry stores endurance is limited to only two months with a full crew complement. The extensive recycling installations ensured that only incidental biomass losses needed to be replenished. Water stores were recycled almost completely. The ship however needs to be constantly supplied foodstuffs and usually is by one of the many colony ships that accompany a colony fleet such as the Sunflower-class.
• The mecha consumables supplies (mainly missiles) are fairly extensive, and can sustain continuous combat operations for fifteen days against an enemy. However, battles against the powers with capital ships will exhaust the anti-ship missile supplies at a faster rate, and these operations cannot be sustain for more than five days.
  The ship launched missile magazines should suffice for three large battles or about eight or more smaller skirmishes.
• At full power, the main propulsion systems can produce up to 480 Teranewtons of thrust at a minimal reaction mass efficiency profile, or as little as 9.4 Teranewtons of thrust at a maximum efficiency setting. At lower power levels, these thrusts are commensurately smaller.
• At full power, the Beginhill-class can achieve a maximum delta-v of 261 kps at the cruising acceleration of 0.1 gees, a maximum delta-v of 52.2 kps at the battle acceleration of 1.0 gees, and a delta-v of at most 14.1 kps at the flank acceleration of 2.0 gees. At lower power levels, these ranges are commensurately smaller.
• Sublight drive acceleration is 500 g, but the vessel's maneuverability is reduced to such a degree that only minor course corrections are possible. Typical cruising speed is .15 c.
• The fold systems are not navigationally guaranteed for any single jump beyond 5 kiloparsecs. If longer voyages are required, the ships must conduct multiple fold jumps.
• The maximum sustained atmospheric speed is limited to sub-sonic speeds. A higher speed could be attained while accelerating to orbit, or in emergencies, but this stressed the engines to above their sustainable heat tolerances. The maximum hover time on the anti-gravity systems was limited only by maintenance requirements.

Weapon Systems:

Circa 2063

• Bofors PL-7 point defense turrets (40): Mounted behind movable panels in the dorsal wings (5 each), ventral wings (5 each), and on top of the main body (10). These standard RDF weapons can fire 53 MJ of particle energy four times per second at a range of up to 20 km.
• Lockheed SLBM launchers (8): The missiles are specialized Lockheed SLBM-11 Archer (Space Launched Ballistic Missiles) with nuclear warheads in the 5 MT range. The delta-v capacity of the missiles is 351.6 kps, and the magazine can store 12 missiles per launcher. These launchers are mounted on the sides of the main structure, four per side.
• Raytheon Mk 267 surface to air missile launchers (20): A missile launcher mounted in a twelve tube pop-up turret, firing anti-mecha/missile missiles, though the projectiles can guide on point-blank enemy ships. When the missiles are released they are already on their intercept vectors, or very close to them.  The launcher is designed to fire the SA-12 Arrow medium range surface-to-air missile. Each turret has a reload time of 6 seconds and a magazine with a 1200 round capacity.  These turrets are mounted behind armor plating and pop up when firing and are mounted on the dorsal wings (5 each), ventral wing (5 each).

Electronics Systems:

• Hughes DSP-6 pinpoint barrier defense system(4): Uses four movable disks of force field, conformal to the ship's surface, to repel light torpedo attacks, or particle beam fire.

Air group and mecha complement:

(circa 2055)

(Space Naval Air Group)

• 60 VF-11 Thunderbolt Veritech fighter
• 15 VF-17 Nightmare Veritech fighter
• 3 SC-45 Hawk personnel and cargo shuttle
• 16 VC-25 Samson Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 10 VC-27 Hercules Light VSTOL cargo transport

(Space Marine Detachment)

• 15 VF-11 Thunderbolt Veritech fighter
• 15 VAB-1 Wolverine Veritech heavy bomber
• 15 VF-17 Nightmare Stealth veritech fighter
• 2 Horizont-class Transatmospheric dropship
• 3 SC-45 Hawk personnel and cargo shuttle
• 20 VC-25 Samson Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 30 VC-27 Hercules Light VSTOL cargo transport
• 30 MBR-25 Atma Heavy battle destroid
• 45 SDR-14 Tiger Missile destroid
• 45 ADR-14 Razor AAA destroid
• 30 RGM-79D GM Trainer Mobile Suit Trainer
• 1 RGM-78 Gundam Platoon leader mobile suit
• 14 RGM-79 GM Mobile suit
• 2 HWR-04 Godzilla Heavy artillery destroid
• 400 VR-066 Hurricane Veritech cyclone
• 400 VR-073 Typhoon Veritech cyclone
• 200 VR-089 Tornado Veritech cyclone
• 200 VR-099 Tsunami Veritech cyclone
• 30 VHT-2 Ragnarok Veritech hovertank
• 1 MTA-2 Behemoth Military assault transport
• 3,400 VR-071 Protector Veritech cyclone
• 3,400 VR-077 Firefly Veritech cyclone
• 3,400 VR-074 Gorilla Veritech cyclone

(circa 2063)

(Space Naval Air Group)

• 30 VF-19 Excalibur Veritech fighter
• 15 VF-17 Nightmare Stealth veritech fighter
• 30 VA-14 Falcon Veritech bomber
• 15 VAB-5 Pirate Veritech heavy bomber
• 1 SC-52 Vulture personnel and cargo shuttle
• 2 VC-37 Perseus Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 2 VC-39 Ajax Light VSTOL cargo transport

(Space Marine Detachment)

• 15 VF-17 Nightmare Stealth veritech fighter
• 30 VA-14 Falcon Veritech bomber
• 2 Concorde-class Transatmospheric dropship
• 6 SC-52 Vulture personnel and cargo shuttle
• 20 VC-37 Perseus Heavy VSTOL cargo transport
• 30 VC-39 Ajax Light VSTOL cargo transport
• 30 MBR-25 Atma heavy battle destroid
• 45 SDR-14 Tiger Missile destroid
• 45 ADR-14 Razor AAA destroid
• 30 RGM-79D GM Trainer Mobile Suit Trainer
• 1 RGM-90 Double Zeta Gundam Mobile Suit
• 6 RGM-91 ReGZ Refined Gundam Zeta Mobile Suit
• 8 RGM-89 Jegan Mobile suit
• 2 HWR-04 Godzilla Heavy artillery destroid
• 400 VR-066 Hurricane Veritech cyclone
• 400 VR-073 Typhoon Veritech cyclone
• 200 VR-089 Tornado Veritech cyclone
• 200 VR-099 Tsunami Veritech cyclone
• 30 VHT-2 Ragnarok veritech hovertank
• 1 MTA-2 Behemoth Military assault transport
• 3,400 VR-071 Protector Veritech cyclone
• 3,400 VR-077 Firefly Veritech cyclone
• 3,400 VR-074 Gorilla Veritech cyclone

Note: The given numbers are approximations; the exact number and type of mecha varied somewhat due to operational realities and different ships.

Design Notes:

Beginhill ships are complete self-contained military academies. The central hull of the vessels contain dormitories, classrooms, lecture halls and simulators while the "wings" of the ships contain four enclosed biospheres simulating different types of terrain, from a parade grounds and athletic fields to dense jungles and forests. A typical military cadet's career begins with a rigorous 6-week basic training course, followed by specialization courses that can take anywhere from 6 months to 4 years depending on the cadet's position. In wartime the time it takes to train new recruits can be reduced up to 50%, though such accelerated courses are much more stressful on the cadets than the standard ones. Beginhill vessels can train recruits for any military profession, from foot soldier to veritech pilot. The academies also conduct refresher courses for most branches of the military. Every military officer on a colony mission is required to spend at least one weeks per year aboard a Beginhill vessel, where they are educated in the latest advances and tactics from RDF Headquarters on Earth.

In an emergency, the Beginhill vessels are also capable of acting as the command and control center for a colony fleet if the fleet's command vessel is lost. Beginhill ships are equipped with advanced sensor suites equivalent to those found on Japan-class battle sections. The center of the ship contains a large multi-level situation room that is constantly staffed and maintained during wartime in case of an emergency. Beginhill vessels also contain powerful communication suites with military-grade encryption and ECCM capabilities, providing a constant communications link between the colony ships as well as secure communications back to RDF Headquarters.

Like most other colony ships the Beginhill vessels are lightly armed and must rely on a Nile-class light space carrier docked at the front of the ship for protection. However due to the sensitive military nature of the vessels they are almost always assigned an escort fleet of 6 to 12 ships for protection. In addition the large hangar bays onboard the Beginhill ships can carry up to 12 squadrons of veritechs (180 fighters), though they are primarily used for training and are training models therefore, not fully combat capable.

History:

The first Beginhill-class ship set sail in May of 2050 and joined the first colony fleet. Beginhill ships have proven very successful in the field and produce new cadets every year. They are crucial to the RDF's overall colonization strategy, as well as ensuring the safety of Terran citizens out on the fringes of known space. Every colony mission in service today has a Beginhill-class assigned to it, and there are no plans to replace or retire these vessels any time in the near future.

Layout adapted from Robotech Reference Guide

Content by Jeffrey R. Spillner
Copyright © 1998-2002 Jeffrey R. Spillner

Page Last Updated on January 21, 2002 @ 14:00 GMT